Peachtree City Road Racer

 

It’s a beautiful thing to bear witness to the sharing of someone’s personal story. That is especially true when that person shares a part of their life and history that has not only given them countless years of joy, but one that has in many way’s shaped every aspect of who they are.  For Bill Brackin of Peachtree City, GA Cross Country Running has shaped just about everything in his life. 

 

In his short poem, “And did those feet in ancient time!” William Blake wrote the iconic phrase “Bring me my chariot of fire!”, which later inspired the title of the 1981 Academy Award Wining drama “Chariots of Fire”.  As I sat and listened to Bill Brackin share his story, I could almost hear the iconic music playing in my head.  The walls of his indoor training room are lined with countless running trophies and awards. Those prizes may well tell the story of a competitive athlete, but it’s Bill’s sincere love for running that is the most inspiring aspect of his story.

 

Today, Bill Brackin is 67 years of age. He began running at the young age of 14 and has not stopped running since.  A graduate of Georgia State University, Bill was a member of the Cross Country running team at the university and worked as an assistant to Dean of Men, legendary track coach, and father of the Peachtree Road Race, Mr. Tim Singleton. Listening to Bill share his stories about his time with Coach Singleton, is like hearing first hand accounts of how one man’s vision, becomes one City’s signature tradition.

 

Despite his desire to do so, Bill did not run in the very first Peachtree Road race, he instead honored Coach Singleton’s request to join him and 12 other volunteers as race administrators.  He recalls how Coach Singleton told him, “Bill, I’ve got enough runners, what I really need now is folks who know what they are doing, to run time and work a stopwatch.” Bill naturally obliged. 

 

Brackin is a quiet hero, an honorable and humble man, who sings the praises of his mentor and friend with true passion and adoration. It’s folks like Bill, that help make the dreams of visionary leaders like Tim Singleton reality. It’s the committed few who stand on the sidelines with a stopwatch in hand, ready to take time or to do anything else that needs done to make it happen.  This 4th of July 2015, marked the 45th running of the Peachtree Road Race and was the 44th time Bill Brackin has run the race.

 

How did Bill do? He came in third for his age division and received his first ever Medal for running the Peachtree Road Race, not because it was his first time wining in his age division, but because it was only recent that the Road Race has started handing out recognition Medals.  This Peachtree Road Racer is a true hometown hero and one inspiring member of our community you will definitely want to meet.